Just fallen wrong

I am having one of those weeks that nothing is falling into place. Now on top of all the race prep taking place this week I am home today with a very sick child. I hate to say it but this is kind of nice and will give me more time at home with the phone to finalize a lot of things already this morning. Josh is chilled on the couch with his pillow and the remote. Since he has come down with pneumonia we will be skipping the camping this weekend ans I am driving up day of to Wausua. Buying me even more time. Then a week later is our 12 hour race then Sunday night I fly out for 2 weeks to salt lake city. So I get to have fathers day alone in SLC, oh joy. Well time to make sure we have garbage can delivered on time for next week.

I need to get one

So I wake up this morning started making coffee and trying damn hard to stand up straight. I wheeled 12 yards of topsoil the night before from the front to the back yard. Well I turn on Versus (old OLN) and the damn Auto bike infomercial is on. I watched it for 5 minutes until the race up the hill with the auto bike and beach cruiser and a Schwinn varsity 10 speed ends. Changed channels, wait coffee is done, ibuprofen is working so I start loading the bike on the car. What am I seeing. A couple is riding past the house on auto bikes. So I have at least 2 clueless neighbors. Short trip to kettles for a quick 20. Holy crap the parking lot is packed and its only 9:00 am. What is going on. My eye must be playing tricks there are 3 guys from Illinois (plates) with frigging auto bikes. Finish up and roll through the even more pack lot and there is another one. I am starting to think I should sell the fuel and get like 10 auto bikes.

13 days to John Muir

Well I hit the kettles yesterday with the old mongoose for some race and trail planning for the race. So here is the big question. What trail to use ? Here are the options we are considering

long loop

Blue loop to PB hill to the white loop to the blue green bypass and finish the blue 11.3 miles est

Medium loop

Blue loop to PB hill to the white - blue green bypass and finish on the orange loop 8.1 miles est

Short loop (3 hour)

Red to blue green split and rest of blue loop 5.5 miles est


Well we are getting in some really nice raffle stuff for this year, so brink your money and take home some really sweet stuff from Hayes, price point, oury, hammergel. and others.

more TF pics

what why, is it that big

Why is my ass on gary's pics page

LBS's dream

These mud races must be a dream come for your local bike shop. So today after the Fuel got a good wash and inspection to look over what was left after yesterdays romp through Grand G. I realized it is going to cost me a bunch of cash to get it ready for Wausua. At first glance I could see the chain of course is trash. Then I found the front pads are now nearly gone. The bottom bracket drive side cup is wasted . Also after one to many fall on the right side a new set of grips.

Made it

Well two big races in one weekend early in the season and I survived. Saturday was not too thrilling, went over the bar at rocket speed and launch myself into the bike and the bike launched after. The was the highlight of that 24 miles. It was nice to feel how lake superior can wreck a nice day. We finished the race in downtown cable it was 73 out. The wind changed out of the north and dropped 20 degrees in a matter of minutes. So then we drove back home 6 hours so I could race at Lake Geneva Sunday. Shelly race citizen for here first race of the year and she stuck it out, I was really proud to see her climbing the hills. So it was time for our race and what do you know it started to rain. I was going to take it real easy and just have a fun race if I could. My legs were not feeling up to any efforts after the crash and drive home. Well 1/2 way up the first climb my legs came to life in a big way. I passed a ton of riders and I found Russells wheel and just held on. He bobbled in the rock garden and I got around him until the end of the first lap. I had nothing to hit the juice on the flats and he went right by. After a lap and a half of hike a bike and face planting in the mud the course got sticking again and the last lap I started to actually pass some other riders. It ended well with a 3rd place.

double header coming up

So we are leaving thursday night for cable to do the spring classic on saturday, then driving 6 hours back home to do the Wors race on saturday. The best part is I have not touched the bike since friday at LG. So I am looking at racing 50 miles this weekend with no miles on the bike this week. However I have laid down about a 10x10 brick patio and three trees and a bunch of plants, does that count for anything?

too early

Well the body still is not in full riding mode. Did a hard 40 on thursday and then hot the dirt yesterday. After the first four climbs the legs were already starting to twitch. I did pedal out 4 laps before calling it quits but they hurt a bunch. I guess more riding is needed.

Bumper sticker of the week

What are you laughing at. Your daughter loves the big bench seat in this truck.

Iola over.done

Cleaned it every time with ease, not sure why anyone was walking it.

He makes for really good rabbit for a couple laps at least until he feels like dropping the hammer

Josh had a great kids race, he is getting better and he can already log on the miles. I better watch out

Last time in and out of the bowl

Iola over.

Well the first race at Iola is done and over with. Now for some good news and a long list of things to work on.

1st thing don't shut it down just because you think you may blow up in the middle of the second lap. It might not happen.

2nd thing to remember. Don't go all out chasing Russell the first lap and a half just because he is right in front of you. With his base miles you won't be able to stay with him.

3rd its a race and should be treated as so the whole race. - Last lap the expert guys were lapping me at the big climb in back and they hollered to pedal harder, so I did and I gained and stayed with them on the climb. Then I heard it. "You shouldn't have saved all your energy for the last climb, use it all up during the race."

That was it, that was my biggest problem Sunday. I let my brain control the pain and I just gave it about 80 percent after lap 2. I really have no pain today so I didn't stress anything to the limit. Overall I could climb it all with no problems . Then I would hit the flats and had zero power to turn the pedals fast. Well 2 weeks till the Classic on Saturday then Lake Geneva on Sunday.

have you seen it

Man, I played hooky for most of the day and hit the kettles early for some real mileage. Did the first blue to connector Emma bench and back, felt great. So why not do it again. Grabbed another set of bottles and off I went. Made it to Emma feeling OK a little spent. However on the way back my legs went looking for reserve. No juice left right after horse riders camp. Slammed a bunch of hammergel and took it easy on the way back. Sat in the lot and realized I had 2 hours until I had to be home for josh. Ate two clif bars and refilled with rust water and did a easy hour plus blue loop. So I figure about 50 miles for the day at the kettles. Made it home and showered before josh walked in the door. Here is where the problems started. Josh wanted to jump on his bike and hit the power lines. Why not, nice cool down right. Just in a pair of shorts and tshirt. About 5 miles in we turned around and I lost my taint on the trail somewhere, have you seen it.

done busted

Well after my ride today, I have 410 miles in for the year combined. So I looked at my notes from last year. This time last year I turned 900 on the road and 220 at kettles. Well I guess someone has to take last in the comp race at Iola.